Court clears men in death of British teenager in Goa

Two Indian men were acquitted on Friday of the culpable homicide and rape of a British teenager in Goa eight years ago, a case that raised questions about the safety of tourists in the coastal resort and claims of police negligence.

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Fiona Mackeown (R), mother of murdered 15-year-old Scarlett Keeling, and her lawyer Vikram Verma speak to the media before entering the police station for Fiona’s questioning session on Scarlett’s murder case in Panjim, Goa March 15, 2008. REUTERS/Punit Paranjpe/Files

The men were accused of drugging and sexually abusing Scarlett Keeling, 15, after a party, leaving her to die in shallow sea water.

Police originally said Keeling had drowned after taking drugs but changed their story after Keeling’s mother complained, and a second autopsy concluded she had been raped and murdered.

The court acquitted the two men of all the charges, the lawyer representing Keeling’s mother, Fiona MacKeown, told reporters. MacKeown said she was “too shocked” to comment. Read More